Category Archives: Rumors

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Subban and Kessel to Help Bring the Cup to Edmonton?

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Cult of Hockey

The best thing Ken Holland could do for the Edmonton Oilers is “slow it down”
  • …one guy not yet working on his golf game is Ken Holland, who has been taking in the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament. Holland has retained the club’s last 10 1st Round draft picks and may be hoping to get a glance at an 11th.
  • I like the Jack Campbell acquisition. But often, it takes a while for players to adjust to their new surroundings. It is harder than you may think. For that reason, I would not be surprised if Stuart Skinner plays more than just a back-up role in the early going.
  • Two well-known veteran NHL’ers continue to be linked to the Edmonton Oilers: P.K. Subban and Phil Kessel. Subban has made over $80m in his career, Kessel $93m. At this point in their careers, they have made most of the money they will probably ever need.
  • I contend the Flames have done a more than admirable job pivoting in the face of its 2 best players bolting. But Calgary will not be quite as good.
  • There is no “must sign” guy left out there for the Oilers, and whoever you may still want to sign (I think Edmonton would like to add one more forward) will likely get cheaper as time wears on as it is an extreme buyer’s market.

BLH’s Thoughts: I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Ken Holland will trade his 2023 first round pick for a player that’ll help them in the playoffs this year. That doesn’t mean he won’t have an 11th first rounder to use but it’s a deep draft and if he can secure another first or even a second rounder, he’ll be getting quality prospect nevertheless. 

Ah… Here comes the crowd preparedness protocol. New players take time to adjust to their new surroundings, right? I suppose Florida and Calgary won’t mind if Tkachuk and Huberdeau take 20 or 30 games to get sorted and Columbus will be fine if Johnny Hockey takes his time finding his feet for the Blue Jackets. 

The Oilers cannot afford for Jack Campbell to find his feet. He needs to have them from the get-go in Edmonton. He’s being paid like a starter and he’ll be expected to perform like one right off the bat here. Personally, I think he’ll be fine, but at the same time, Edmonton’s defense isn’t considered impenetrable. In fact, one might look at its lack of true high-end defensive dmen and call it ‘leaky’. 

Either way, I foresee some real blowouts where the Oilers are on the losing end this year, however, I do believe they’ll be few and far between and my playoff time, this team will be sorted. 

PK Subban, eh? First I’ve heard his name connected to the Oilers. Is he the missing piece to Edmonton’s championship puzzle? I mean, if Phil Kessel and PK Subban are getting mentioned in connection to the Oilers it should surprise nobody as these are typical Ken Holland targets, but are these the older veterans Edmonton should be chasing?

I mean, there’s a ton of offense on this team as it is and in my opinion, it needs to shore up the defensive end of the roster. Who’s out there that can come in and we’re not going to worry about production because he’s shutting the other team down?

Also, does it bug anybody else when somebody assumes that since a player has made X amount of dollars that they don’t need any more and so playing on the cheap and a Stanley Cup should be their motivation now? I get it, that makes sense for veteran players because we’ve seen that story a hundred times before, but really? Who are you to assume how much money somebody needs or doesn’t need at this point in their lives?

“Calgary will remain very competitive this season, despite being in a very rough spot prior to this deal. But the trade can’t receive a final grade until we see how the Flames handle the 2 UFA’s.” – Leavins on 7/23/22

I said Florida won this trade hands down and I still believe it. That said, I think Calgary will remain a very relevant team in the Pacific with the depth of their defense and strength of their goaltending leading the way. What will screw them is Huberdeau’s contract and possibly the new deals for Weegar and Hanifin down the road. But, then again, you never know what will happen when the cap starts going up more and more. At any rate, I wouldn’t discount Calgary giving Edmonton a strong push for Kings of the Pacific in the short-term here.

Oilersnation

Monday Mailbag – First thoughts on the Kailer Yamamoto extension

First thoughts on the Kailer Yamamoto contract extension in regards to term and dollars?

  • “I do get nervous that he may blossom over the course of this bridge deal but we’ll deal with that problem later.” – Baggedmilk

I’d love to know everyone’s opinion on the Jonathan Huberdeau contract extension that he just signed.

  • “You’re paying for the player he is right now, which is somebody who scored 115 points and finished fifth in Hart Trophy voting. If Calgary didn’t give him elite player money, somebody else would have next summer.” – Lewis

Jack Campbell’s current career high in games played is 49 from this past season with the Leafs. What do you think would be an appropriate split between he and Stuart Skinner?

  • “Can Skinner give the Oilers 25-27 solid games is likely more of a question than can Campbell start 55-57 at this point.” – Gregor

Where do you see Warren Foegele fitting on the team right now?

  • “He’s a third or fourth liner. What Mattias Janmark does will also have an impact.” – Brownlee

BLH’s Thoughts: I think Gregor hit it on the head earlier in the summer when he said he wasn’t sure if there’s much more to go with Yamamoto. Meaning, it’s entirely possible Yamo’s peaked as a 40pt winger and for $3M/yr, that’s decent. In two years, he’ll be a cap casualty though like Gourde and Johnson were in Tampa because he’ll want too much money and as an American, there’s a solid chance he’ll want to go home to play.

That Huberdeau contract is massive and I applaud his bravery for signing it before getting on the ice with Darryl Sutter. Do you think he talked to Gaudreau or Tkachuk before signing though? I mean, he is about to embark on a long-term deal with a team who’ll be competing with Connor McDavid and the ever-rising Edmonton Oilers year in and year out PLUS he has to do it in the Saddledome! 

A couple of days ago, I was told the team is shopping Foegele and looking to keep Puljujarvi. Take that for what it’s worth. If they find a team that’ll take him for a pick in return, that’ll give Dylan Holloway a strong chance to make the team out of camp and to possibly form one of the league’s best 3rd lines with Ryan McLeod and Jesse Puljujarvi (or better yet, Kailer Yamamoto). 

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey
  • [Mark] Kiszla also suggested [the Colorado Avalanche] attempting to acquire Jonathan Toews from the Chicago Blackhawks sometime before next year’s trade deadline.
  • Stefan Rosner believes the Islanders must soon decide if Mathew Barzal remains part of their future before it’s too late… He cited colleague Jimmy Murphy tweeting a hypothetical trade in which Barzal is traded to the Detroit Red Wings to clear cap space to sign Kadri.
  • TSN’s Salim Valji took to Twitter to report a source said MacKenzie Weegar has a “strong, genuine desire” to re-sign with the Calgary Flames.
  • If the Blues did shop Tarasenko, [Dan] Rosen believes they’d want a top-six forward in return, especially after losing David Perron to free agency last month.
  • In a recent mailbag segment, Lance Lysowski was asked if the Sabres should attempt to sign Patrick Kane next summer if he’s interested in coming home to Buffalo.
    • Lysowski doesn’t think the longtime Blackhawks star is a fit in Buffalo for the coming season. He believes the return would involve a haul of draft picks and prospects. “The Sabres don’t want to part with those yet,” he said.
The Daily Goal Horn
  • “The usual suspects continue to report that Nazem Kadri is still looking for a long term commitment with a sticker price that begins with a “9,” and if that is indeed the bottom line for the second-line center, who will turn 32 the week prior to the season opener, it is no mystery why he remains unsigned.” – Larry Brooks, NY Post
  • There’s no way [PK] Subban will ever see an AAV of $9 million, but he should get something in the neighborhood of $4-6 million on a one-year deal. The recent deal signed by John Klingberg with the Ducks will act as a good benchmark.
  • “If there’s a rift, Panarin could ask out, as near-impossible as it would be to move this mammoth contract.” – Arthur Staple, The Athletic
    • “Where are they trading me? They can’t trade me. If these people understood at least a little, they would know that my contract [has a no-move clause] and a trade is impossible.” – Artemi Panarin

BLH’s Thoughts: I don’t see Subban getting anything close to $4M as a free agent right now. I’m betting he’ll be a PTO for somebody and if he wants to play, it’ll be on the cheap. Money’s tight and if teams were willing to take him for $4.5M last year, why would they sign him for anything close to that this year when he’s a year older and with no leverage considering his form and production are decaying at an incredible rate?

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Puljujarvi to Montreal/Islanders, Kessel Coming to Edmonton?

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Cult of Hockey

The “Dog Days of August” dish roster decisions during Ken Holland’s summer holidays
  • Do not expect 2021 Oilers 1st Round draft pick Xavier Bourgault to play for the Canadian World Junior team this Summer.
  • Meanwhile, the Oilers are switching their ECHL affiliate from the Wichita Thunder to the Fort Wayne Komets… The Komets won the ECHL championship in 2020-21 and have a good development program.
  • And there is one more addition to the Oilers NHL coaching staff: Mark Stuart, a veteran of 673 regular season NHL games. I see this is Jay Woodcroft’s “guy,” a coach he would have requested Ken Holland to entertain.
  • I continue to see smoke around Edmonton and Phil Kessel…
  • Jesse Puljujarvi’s new, 1-year, $3m contract accomplishes one of two things: It either firms a spot on the right side in the Oilers middle-6 for this upcoming season or it makes him more tradeable…
  • There were rumblings around Montreal and Puljujarvi at the draft table earlier this Summer. And neither’s club’s rosters are “done” yet. Sometimes where there is smoke there is fire.
  • August 7th is Kailer Yamamoto’s arbitration hearing date… expect the winger to get a multi-year extension north of $3m.
  • Some see a Tyson Barrie trade as one solution for what ails Ken Holland’s salary cap headache. They feel Barrie’s and Evan Bouchard’s primary skill sets are redundant.

BLH’s Thoughts: With Bourgault, I expect him to get a long look in preseason if he can stay healthy…

I do like that the organization is targeting its developmental capabilities because they’re really going to need those ELCs in about three or four years when Draisaitl’s and McDavid’s deals are up. 

Did Mark Stuart not play with Evander Kane in Winnipeg and Atlanta? If there’s a guy out there who’d be able to notice the warning signs (if any might crop up) with Kane, it’d probably be Stuart. 

Let me get this straight, the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers, two teams looking to clear up cap space, are talking about a Jesse Puljujarvi trade? How exactly does each team accomplish the goal of clearing cap space while being required to take on a roster player in this transaction? 

I’m going to have to assume there are other shoes waiting to drop with Montreal and/or the Oilers in order for ANYTHING to go down between these teams. 

Now, that said, if the Habs can get Kirby Dach re-signed, I might have to become a Habs fan so I can watch Slafkovsky, Dach, and Puljujarvi run roughshot on the rest of the Atlantic. 

I do agree with Leavins on not trading Barrie though. Tyson’s got a bit more fast twitch than Bouch and if he’s nothing more than a fulcrum on the PP, Barrie will be running the powerplay for one more year because I think there’s a very good chance Barrie is traded next summer. 

Oilersnation

Monday Mailbag – How comfortable are you with the Oilers’ defence?

How comfortable are you going into next season with the defensive group as it’s currently constructed?

  • “It will be good enough to get the job done in the regular season, but I do think they need to add one more veteran piece for it to really be a strength. I would also say that they need to add a piece who is a strong defender…” – Yaremchuk

What does Nurse have to do to ensure the team gets at least a reasonable value out of his yearly $9.25m salary?

  • “He’s never going to live up to that contract.” – Brownlee

Which young player do you think has the most pressure to perform from where they were at a year ago?

  • “Edmonton is expected to be a Cup contender, and all their young players should be looked at to be complementary players, not drivers or difference makers.” – Gregor

BLH’s Thoughts: In its current form, the Oilers defense is not of Stanley Cup caliber. I believe it’s a good regular season group, but we need to wait for Philip Broberg to hit his stride and for the 3rd pairing to feature a pair of cagey vets like Radko Gudas and Marc Staal or conversely, a young pair of eager cycle breakers like Samorukov and Desharnais who’ll keep the cap structure in place in the short term. Then, there’s a chance I’ll feel comfortable with the group.

Brownlee kinda nailed it on Nurse’s deal. 

Ryan McLeod might have a bit of pressure on him to take the next step. He’s truly a homegrown player that’s been through the grind to get to where he is and 3rd line center in Edmonton is a big deal, especially for a somebody who’s come up the traditional way. 

If Puljujarvi is traded, Yamamoto is going to have a significant amount of pressure on his shoulders not to fuck up too seeing as the team would be betting on him and with all the “teammates love to play with him” rhetoric out there. 

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey

BLH’s Thoughts: Bellows isn’t the guy I would be accepting from Lou Lamoriello if I was trading Puljujarvi to Long Island.

Oliver Wahlstrom intrigues me a bit. I think he has some edge to his game and he’s got one helluva shot from the half-wall. That might be handy on the 2nd unit PP. He had 13 goals in 73 games last year. 

Junior standout William Dufour (66gp 56g 60a 116pts) had himself a wonderful 20 year old season for Saint John and then tossed up 7 goals in four games in the Mem Cup. He’s a 6’2″ 195lb RWer too…

One would assume Aatu Raty and Simon Holmstrom are out of the question but they had productive seasons in Finland (47gp 40pts for Raty) and the AHL (68gp 43pts for Holmstrom) respectively.

Either way, the Isles have some nice looking prospects but none that will develop to be as good as Puljujarvi will be at his peak.

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Montreal has Done their Due Diligence on Puljujarvi says Murphy

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Oilersnation

What’s left on Ken Holland’s checklist?
  • Sign both Yamamoto and McLeod
  • Trade one of Puljujarvi, Foegele, or Barrie
  • Sign a veteran defenseman

BLH’s Thoughts: As you’ll read below, the market on Pulju has heated up a bit now that he’s signed to a deal. Personally, I still feel like he won’t make it past training camp, but is there a scenario where Holland holds onto as many of these guys possible until the deadline or next summer when he’ll want to open up cap room for that FA crop? I mean somebody will have to go so that the Oilers can get under the cap for the new season but they’ve got until the end of training camp to get that done and actually, one option might include burying somebody in the minors to do that. Devin Shore and Slater Koekkoek come to mind in that regard. 

Lowetide

SETTING FREE THE BEARS
  • Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Kailer Yamamoto, Jesse Puljujarvi and Tyson Barrie should be on the ‘certain’ list. However, one of them is likely to be traded in the coming days, and until we know, they’re all on the outside looking in.
  • Ken Holland is a veteran general manager, a group who universally value their own procurement pieces over what came before them. So, names like Warren Foegele and Tyson Barrie, whose arrival came during Holland’s time in office, may be protected because of it.
  • The other side of the coin is Holland’s tell. He has zero fear of older players. One of the older players currently available is Phil Kessel. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to create a scenario where Holland trades Jesse Puljujarvi is dealt for an asset with zero dollars attached, and then signs Kessel.
  • The other item stopping Holland from dealing Puljujarvi is possible return. The general manager took significant heat over the Duncan Keith trade, and people still remember the Andreas Athanasiou deal. Trading Puljujarvi for a fourth-round pick will send echoes down the canyon.

BLH’s Thoughts: Just to add a little context, LT has listed out who he feels are certain roster players next season and who are on the outside looking in. 

Still a lot of talk on Phil Kessel, eh?… 

I honestly don’t feel like Ken Holland cares about public perception when it comes to his roster moves. Why would he? At the end of the day the team is still over .600 since he took over, he’s still got the best 1-2 center punch in the league, his team just made it to the Western Conference final, the club’s never had this much depth coming through the pipeline, and where there’s a Keith trade, there’s a Hyman signing. I’m pretty sure he couldn’t give two shits what Jack the Blogger or Debbie the Ultimate Oilers Fan thinks about how he does his job because at the end of the day he can only control what he can control. An entire season could be lost at the hands of a bad bounce or a poor call from the refs… 

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey
NHLRumors.me
  • Jimmy Murphy of Montreal Hockey Now: A source said that the Montreal Canadiens have been doing their due diligence on Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi since before the draft.
    • One scout said that Puljujarvi is still available and is even more attractive to teams after he signed his one-year, $3 million deal on Tuesday.
    • Could the Canadiens send the Oilers one of the contracts they are looking to move and a third or fourth-round pick?

BLH’s Thoughts: The Habs are reportedly looking to clear cap space so they can re-sign Kirby Dach. The Oilers are reportedly looking to clear cap space so they can re-sign Kailer Yamamoto in addition to adding one or two more skaters. Not sure these two clubs are a fit unless Ken Holland unloads Warren Foegele and/or Tyson Barrie. 

With Anaheim, I wonder if they might call up Calgary and inquire about the services of one Milan Lucic since Nic Deslauriers signed in Philly. Gotta protect the kids…

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Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Puljujarvi, Necas, Chytil, and More!!!

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Oilersnation

Jesse Puljujarvi is signed but now what?
  • Once the season was over and the local media started speculating about our precious Finn moving on, I assumed the next contract Puljujarvi would sign would happen somewhere else…
  • That’s not to say that a trade couldn’t still happen…
  • …but I wonder if Ken Holland’s patience may keep the kid around again just like it did post-Finland.
  • According to PuckPedia’s tweet shown above, the Oilers have about $2.67 million in cap space to get both Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan McLeod signed, which doesn’t seem like a whole lot of wiggle room…
  • Seeing as Yamo just put up 20 goals and 21 assists, I think it’s probably safe to say that’s not going to happen for much or anything less than Puljujarvi got, right? Then again, Puljujarvi has more goals and a better PPG than Yamo does over the last two years so maybe we’ll have to wait and see?
  • …having Puljujarvi locked in on a one-year contract that leaves him as an RFA when the season ends could mean other teams come circling back again. Maybe now other clubs will look at Jesse as a risk worth taking, inflating the potential return from a lowly draft pick to a player that can help now?

BLH’s Thoughts: There are still a few shoes to drop with other teams, but I’m still expecting Puljujarvi to moved on from and my guess is that it’ll happen at the end of training camp possibly IF it’s going to happen before the season starts. I mean, it might make some sense to see how he’s skating throughout preseason (showcase time!) and then deal him just as teams are putting players on LTIR. 

Something has to give with the Hurricanes. Did you see Ethan Bear’s new deal? Man, does that ever make Brett Kulak’s contract look amazing and Carolina still has to get Martin Necas under contract with only a shade over $1M in cap space…

You gotta wonder if there’s a potential Puljujarvi trade to be had there. The Canes would have pretty good depth on the wing with Svechnikov, Pacioretty, Teravainen, and Pulju, no? Then they’ve got Seth Jarvis coming too. 

https://twitter.com/Bob_Stauffer/status/1552301646419333120

The Athletic

Can Oilers’ Darnell Nurse live up to new contract?
  • Among qualifying defencemen over the past three seasons combined, Nurse ranks No. 22 in the NHL in goals per 60 at five-on-five (0.34) and No. 34 in points per 60 (1.05) in the discipline.
  • McDavid floats all boats as is indicated here, but it is Nurse who delivers over 50 percent expected goals while playing with teammates other than the captain.
  • If the Oilers had signed Nurse to an eight-year deal four years ago, fully half of the purchased years would have been restricted seasons.
  • The contract is going to get some getting used to, with increased cap ceilings and a Stanley Cup the only real relief from criticism. One is likely, the other increasingly possible.
  • There may come a time when Nurse is passed by another left defenceman on the depth chart. That day will not come soon, as there is no one on the roster, or on the horizon, who could be expected to successfully replace him.

BLH’s Thoughts: Nurse’s AAV is going to be over $9M next season but the real dollars he’ll make is $12M and I think that’s a tie for second in the whole league. So, if you’re in the business of professional hockey, you might want to become a client of Nurse’s agent because that’s a helluva deal for a guy that probably shouldn’t be making over $7M/yr. That said, blame the game not the player. 

In order for Nurse to live up to that contract in the short term, he’s going to need to produce offensively as well as be an upper tier defensive defenseman and in my mind that’s not an unrealistic ask. Darnell might be one of the most physically gifted blueliners in the entire league in my opinion. He might not skate and handle the puck like Cale Makar or Miro Heiskanen but those two can’t dominate the muck like Nurse either.

There’s one player that has the potential to surpass Nurse and that’s Philip Broberg. The Swede is a better puck mover, he’s a better skater, he’s more offensively skilled, and he can play physical when required. The only issue I see is him staying healthy because I’m not sure his body has the durability Nurse’s has even though the two are of similar stature. Broberg won’t wow you with his growl, but as he grows in this league, he won’t be a liability when the going gets tough.

Now, while I would prefer Nurse’s AAV to be lower, an eventual top-four of him, Ceci, Bouchard, and Broberg is very intriguing and it’s something I can get behind. Size? Check! Skill? Check! Skating? Check! Passing? Check! Shooting? Check! Shutdown ability? Check! Hockey IQ? Check!

It’s all there (potentially). 

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey
The Daily Goal Horn
  • Going forward, the Blackhawks are unlikely to re-sign both Kane and Toews next season. Each are in the last year of their deals that come with a $10.5 million cap hit.
    • All signs point to them being moved at the deadline with 50% salary retention to teams in contention.
NHLRumors.me
  • Believe that Rangers GM Chris Drury would have some interest in trading Artemi Panarin wanted a trade and would waive his no-movement clause.
  • … the Rangers will eventually trade Filip Chytil.
  • Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now: Would say (as of Sunday) that it’s about a 20 percent chance that Nazem Kadri returns to the Colorado Avalanche.
    • …the Avalanche are only offering Kadri a short-term deal.
    • …the New York Islanders are the leading contenders for Kadri. Have heard that Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars have had some interest. The Winnipeg Jets would be a real dark horse.
  • Marco D’Amico of Montreal Hockey Now: The Montreal Canadiens are still hoping to shed some contracts before the season starts. They need to re-sign some RFAs and don’t have a lot of salary cap space to work with.

BLH’s Thoughts: Whoever decides to become the 3rd team involved in the Toews and Kane trades will get a King’s ransom to eat that salary. 

Montreal is still in a world of hurt with Carey Price’s contract. Why don’t they move Brendan Gallagher seeing as he doesn’t want to be there for a rebuild. Dadonov is making $5M this year, Hoffman has another two yrs left at $4.5M per… They’ve got a shit ton draft picks and prospects to use as sweeteners AND they’ve got three NHL dmen on their roster at the moment. They need to make some deals to get out of this mire ASAP unless the plan is to get in on Bedard/Michkov… 

Panarin is an absolute wrecking ball but $11M+ per year as he heads into the final stretch of his career and with Lafreniere, Miller, Kakko, and Schneider closing out their RFA years… I don’t think the relationship with Drury is strong enough to think that there’s no way the Bread Man gets moved. Maybe send him back to Chicago after they deal Kane and Toews. Ha!

The new NHL franchise in Seattle already has their AHL affiliate worked out! Click the pick and grab a Karen shirt today!

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Rumors: Puljujarvi, Kakko, Kessell, and More!

This is your TL/DR (too long, didn’t read) summary post where excerpts are taken from the best of the best when it comes to Edmonton Oilers blogs. BLH gives you his two cents on the latest posts being published in the Oilogosphere! Including those from Lowetide.ca, The Athletic, Oilersnation, The Cult of Hockey, Copper N Blue, Oil on Whyte, and more!

The latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation comes from all of the internet’s top sites like Spector’s Hockey, The Fourth Period, NHL Trade Talk, The Hockey Writers, and The Daily Goal Horn just to name a few!

If you’re short on time but want to keep up with the day’s Oilers news, you’ve come to the right place!

Give us a follow on the socials!

Oilersnation

Monday Mailbag – What’s next for the Battle of Alberta?

What is everyone’s view on the Pacific Division? Who got better, who got worse?

  • “LA got better with Fiala coming in. Vegas is a mystery. Vancouver should be about the same. I’m curious about Calgary after this Huberdeau trade. Seattle will be better. Oilers’ division to lose.” – Baggedmilk

…how is everyone feeling about the roster right now? What are the strengths? What are the weaknesses you see?

  • “Strengths are top-end skill, and their core is the same. Weaknesses are size and physicality in the 2nd and 3rd D pairs, as well as tenacity in bottom six.” – Jason Gregor

…what is the likelihood that Jesse will be back in Edmonton come October?

  • “It should be about as likely as us being able to go one day without talking about an overpriced player who doesn’t want to be here — in other words, highly doubtful… I can’t see Puljujarvi signing for less ahead of time and passing on an arb award like that. Way too much ink spent on this guy.” – Robin Brownlee

Should Canadian teams steer clear of drafting Americans?

  • “I don’t think the Flames would go back and draft differently knowing what they know now. Is Calgary better off selecting Tyson Jost sixth overall because he’s Canadian?” – Cam Lewis

BLH’s Thoughts: The Pacific Division eh?… Considering they might not have an NHL goalie to start the year, they’re really going to have to pull a rabbit out of their asses to be a playoff team. If they get one though, they’re a team to watch. 

Calgary’s defense is a nice group and they’ve still got a good goalie in Markstrom. The question marks are up front and despite what Huberdeau said about being open to signing a long-term deal with the Flames, he’s not gone through one on-ice session with Darryl Sutter yet. So all of that could change in a heartbeat one way or the other. I think they’ve got the tools to be a wildcard team though with Pelletier and Zary breaking in possibly.

Vancouver might surprise. They’ve got some big players on the last year of their contracts, Thatcher Demko is on the rise, the Kuzmenko kid is intriguing, adding Mikheyev and Dermott was nice. We’ll see, but I think there’s a competitive team there. 

The SoCal teams will be fun to watch but ultimately not playoff threats and Seattle will be better for sure and I don’t see them finishing in the Pacific’s basement. Matty Beniers is going to be a blast to watch for a full season. 

As for Edmonton’s weaknesses listed by Gregor, all of them can be acquired by Ken Holland around the deadline. The regular season is won with skill and the Oilers have a shit ton of that. 

Looks like Brownlee is drinking the kool-aid too. To my knowledge, Jesse Puljujarvi nor his agent have said anything about wanting out. If they wanted out of Edmonton, they’d sign a team-friendly deal that would allow Ken Holland to move him easier, no? What player would be so narcissistic that he’d force his club to move other players because they were forced to accept what the arbitrator awarded him? 

Now, I wonder if the arbitration awards might come in a bit lower than usual after seeing what Isac Lundestrom accepted ($1.8M/yr for 2yrs). This is a center who scored nearly 29pts and if we go off of what we’ve been hearing from the local media, a player could get about 100k/pt. That’s only seven points off from what Pulju scored… Then again, Lundestrom’s and Pulju’s cases might be very different too. 

Americans are the new Russians now I guess… Draft the best players and if there’s a hint that they want to go home down the line, help them out and get the best return in the process. Don’t get all xenophobic and expect every US-born player to behave as Tkachuk and Gaudreau have. 

The Athletic

10 unsigned free agents who could help the Oilers in 2022-23
  • Ben Harpur is the big (6-foot-6, 231 pounds) rugged defender the organization didn’t have for long stretches last season… If the Oilers are unsure about the readiness of Samorukov or Markus Niemelainen, Harpur might be the most attractive option among free agents.
  • [Michal] Kempny’s style (two-way type, defensive coverage more prominent) might be a strong complement to the styles of Bouchard or Barrie.
  • Kris Russell has been an Oilers player for the past six seasons and ranks No. 16 all-time in games played by a defenceman in franchise history. 
  • Michael Stone has been helping the Calgary Flames for about as long as [Kris] Russell has been in Edmonton… His performance in the playoffs was noteworthy, he was a pain for Edmonton (4-2 goal differential at five-on-five) and would be an inexpensive depth option…
  • Phil Kessel is unlikely. The massive cut in salary he would have to take seems a bridge too far… It wouldn’t be surprising if there’s interest from both sides, with money being the issue.
  • Johan Larsson is a fine two-way centre who is solid in possession.
  • Evan Rodrigues is still unsigned… in a normal summer he could have cashed in on a $4 million, multiyear deal.
  • Sam Steel’s career path hit a crossroads and led him to free agency this summer.
  • Sam Gagner would be joining the Oilers for a third time. He is an effective power-play option and posted solid five-on-five possession numbers relative to teammates in 2021-22.
  • Evgeny Svechnikov is a power forward who appears to be finding traction in the NHL… At five-on-five he posted 1.49 points per 60 and his expected goals in the discipline was over 50 percent… He was chosen No. 19 in the 2015 draft by Holland as Detroit’s general manager.

BLH’s Thoughts: These are the forward options for the Oilers IF they move on from Jesse Puljujarvi this week… 

Personally, I think it’s time to see what these young defensemen are made of. It’s been a few years coming now for Samorukov and Niemelainen and it makes zero sense to me to spend the money on a really inferior blue liner right now when the players are already here (that includes the oft-forgotten Slater Koekkoek). Besides, the team isn’t going to collapse because Ben Harpur isn’t playing for them. Be patient, keep the powder dry, and bolster that blueline at the trade deadline when you can trade for some massive talents poised to become UFAs this summer like Scott Mayfield (NYI), Carson Soucy (SEA), Vladislav Gavrikov (CBJ), or Ryan Graves (NJ) for example. 

Trade Rumors

Spector’s Hockey
  • Larry Brooks reports there is no indication Kaapo Kakko and his agent have solicited interest from other clubs to tender the New York Rangers winger an offer sheet.
  • [Pierre-Luc] Dubois’ desire to join the Canadiens apparently goes back to his days with the Blue Jackets. It was rumored in January 2021 that former Habs GM Marc Bergevin attempted to acquire Dubois before the Jackets shipped him to the Winnipeg Jets.
The Daily Goal Horn
  • Kevin Kurz covers the Isles for The Athlethic and reported that a league source noted “rumblings” about the team and Kadri.
    • One team that continues to be considered in the mix are the New York Islanders. The Fourth Period also add the Seattle Kraken, Ottawa Senators, and Anaheim Ducks to the mix.
    • Kadri’s next deal will be between 5-7 years with an AAV around $7.5 to $8.5M.
  • In a recent article by Saad Yousuf in The Athletic, he suggests that there’s a possibility for Klingberg to sign a one-year deal to remain with the Dallas Stars. A place that the defenseman does not want to leave.

BLH’s Thoughts: If Kakko has an appetite to leave NY, why doesn’t Edmonton investigate that option using Puljujarvi as the return? The Finn shares an agent with star center Leon Draisaitl and that never hurts when it comes to trading for a player.

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